Mystery Detective of the Steam World

Chapter 52 I never expected this
The advantage of being a middle-aged, single man is that he can go wherever he wants.

Just like Inspector Lestrade now.

After Inspector Lestrade made his decision, he handed over the rest of the work to Officer Fletcher, then drove away from the police station with Levi, heading towards Lancaster Manor.

Incidentally, at that time, the agency naturally did not have regulations prohibiting the private use of official vehicles.

"Rat-a-tat-tat-tat..."

The steam-spraying carriage sped along the asphalt road. Of course, in Levi's opinion, the carriage wasn't particularly fast, but it was certainly much faster than a horse-drawn carriage. Meanwhile, Inspector Lestrade, gripping the steering wheel, was humming a jazz-like tune to the cassette player in the carriage.

"Look, this is life, this is freedom."

Inspector Lestrade chuckled and began to speak while humming a tune.

Are you sure you won't be punished for this?

"Of course not, there are still benefits to cooperating with you."

Upon hearing Levi's question, Inspector Lestrade laughed heartily.

"If I leave alone, some annoying guys might come looking for trouble. But if I leave with you, there won't be any problems. Besides, I really want to go back and see that place... After all, that manor holds a lot of sentimental value for me. It was the first case I was on duty at after becoming a police officer. Before that, I was just patrolling the streets, catching thieves and stuff..."

"Is there any other information you can provide about that couple?"

Since he had nothing better to do, Li Wei casually asked.

"Hmm, let me think. I remember it quite clearly. The couple hadn't been in Chongqing for long. They bought the manor to try and break into Chongqing's social circles. The husband was an antique dealer, and the wife was mainly responsible for entertaining guests. Before that tragedy, they would host all sorts of themed parties at the manor every weekend, inviting other guests to join in the fun."

Inspector Lestrade spoke with obvious regret.

"Of course, we also suspected that the two might be involved in some illegal transactions, but after checking their records, we found nothing unusual. The people they associated with were all people of reputation and prestige, and their servants also testified that there was nothing special about them."

"Servant? Didn't you say there were only the murderer and two victims at the time of the crime? Where is the servant?"

“They hire people from nearby villages, hourly workers, who basically work during the day and go home after dinner.”

"You remember this case very clearly."

Levi looked at Inspector Lestrade with surprise, who seemed slightly embarrassed.

"Haha, you see, back then I was even thinking about whether I could find clues and solve a big case. At that time, I was just a greenhorn, you should be able to understand how I felt. Rookie police officers solving mysterious big cases and getting commendations... hehe, it's just a fantasy unique to young people."

At this point, Inspector Lestrade looked at Levi.

"So, what were you doing there? Is there something more to that case?"

“I have no idea about the case you’re talking about. I’m investigating that manor, and it’s related to another case I was investigating before.”

"I see..."

The two chatted as they continued walking, then Inspector Lestrade looked ahead and slowed down. Levi looked ahead and saw a steam engine rickety and slumped over by the roadside. Judging from the intermittent steam, it seemed utterly lifeless and half-dead.

"what happened?"

"Go over and have a look."

As a police officer, Inspector Lestrade still had a sense of responsibility. Even when he was using the excuse of going for a walk with Levi, he didn't forget his duties. At this moment, he drove up in his car. When he got closer, he saw a man and a woman standing next to the car. The man was looking at the front of the car and checking the situation, while the woman stood beside him, looking anxious.

Upon seeing the steam car approaching, the woman hurriedly ran to the man's side and tugged at him. The latter also looked up and gazed in the direction of Levi and Inspector Lestrade.

"Hey, hello, sir, madam."

Inspector Lestrade leaned out and waved to the two men.

"What happened?"

"There's something wrong with our car."

Perhaps it was the sense of security emanating from Inspector Lestrade's barrel-shaped physique that made the two men seem less nervous. The man with thick-rimmed glasses pushed up his glasses and spoke.

Could you please take a look?

"of course can."

Inspector Lestrade nodded, got out of the carriage and came to the two of them. Levi also looked around, then got out of the carriage and stretched. Although the steam carriage was faster than the horse-drawn carriage, the speed was still limited. After sitting for a while, his body was a little stiff, so it was good to rest.

Inspector Lestrade examined the situation carefully and quickly came to a conclusion.

"The water tank is cracked."

Inspector Lestrade stared at the two men with the typical look of a police officer.

"Your car has been here for a long time."

"We rented it."

Most people wouldn't realize the police were trying to extract information from them, and the bespectacled man in front of him was no exception.

"We're newlyweds and planning a honeymoon, so we rented this steam car from a rental shop..."

"Many car rental companies these days aren't very reputable. Some even haul away scrapped steam cars from junkyards or similar places at low prices, tinker with them, and put them on the road. Where did you rent your car?" "Thornflower Car Rental..."

The bespectacled man hurriedly pulled out the car dealership's business card from his pocket and handed it over, completely unaware that Inspector Lestrade was investigating their background.

"I heard they're a legitimate car dealership with a good reputation..."

"It's all your fault, you insisted on renting that steam car."

At this moment, the newlywed wife standing next to him also began to complain.

"Renting a horse-drawn carriage would have been perfectly fine..."

"But steam cars aren't mainstream now... and the newspapers say that everyone will be driving steam cars in the future..."

The bespectacled man hurriedly offered an explanation, but judging from his wife's unhappy expression, it was clear that his explanation was of no use.

"Then I can only say you were unlucky."

Inspector Lestrade chatted with the two men for a few more minutes, getting to know almost everything about their ancestors before changing the subject.

Where are you planning to go?

"We're planning to go to a hotel nearby. Could you give us a ride?"

"of course can."

Inspector Lestrade nodded, then led the two back to the front of the car. Levi was sitting in the passenger seat, leisurely drinking tea. If there was anything about steam cars that gasoline cars couldn't match, it was that these things always had hot water available. You could put a pot of tea in the middle and drink it all the way without it getting cold.

"Li Wei?"

"Huh? What's the matter?"

“Their car broke down, so we gave them a ride.”

"no problem."

Li Wei took a sip of tea and nodded to the two of them.

"Want a drink?"

Upon seeing Li Wei, the newlywed wife, wearing a sun hat, blushed visibly and stared at him blankly without saying a word. Her bespectacled husband, on the other hand, reacted as if facing a formidable enemy, quickly pulling his wife aside and then offering Li Wei an apologetic smile.

"No, no need, then I'll trouble you."

"You are welcome."

After this incident, the group continued their journey.

The newlyweds sat in the back seat, while their broken-down car was towed behind them—steam cars of this era were essentially similar to tractors, so towing an iron box behind them, just like a tractor, wasn't a problem, since there were no traffic laws yet.

The newlywed wife was quite lively, frequently recounting her honeymoon experiences to the couple, primarily speaking to Li Wei. The newlywed husband, on the other hand, seemed hesitant and unsure how to join in. Fortunately, Li Wei had seen this kind of thing many times before and didn't find it particularly bothersome. He casually replied a few words to pass the time.

The police station's steam-powered vehicle wasn't very powerful, and hauling goods wasn't its forte. Now, with a large iron box pulling the back, its speed had decreased considerably. It was almost dark, and the landscape was still desolate and wild. Fortunately, the asphalt road was still smooth, which was reassuring.

Where is your hotel?

Inspector Lestrade also inquired, saying that at this rate, they might not arrive until dark tonight, so they might as well stay at the hotel for the night and go the next day.

"It's not far, it's just ahead."

The bespectacled man held a map and looked at his notes.

"Turn left at the intersection ahead."

The car sputtered and chugged for a while, and as dusk fell, the group finally spotted a side road—of course, this road wasn't as smooth as the paved road. But fortunately, it wasn't undriveable. They left the main road and wound their way along this narrow path for quite some time, until finally, a rather stylish manor came into view.

Upon seeing the house, Inspector Lestrade paused for a moment, then turned to look at the bespectacled man.

"right here?"

"Of course, as you can see, it says so on the sign above."

The bespectacled man also reached out and pushed up his glasses, then pointed to the sign hanging next to him.

"Red Moon Inn!"

"Ah, um..."

Inspector Lestrade responded and then sped inside. Seeing his thoughtful expression, Levi raised an eyebrow and asked in a low voice.

"What's wrong? Is there a problem?"

"It's not a big problem, to be honest."

Inspector Lestrade looked at the manor with a complicated expression.

"I never imagined this place would be turned into a hotel..."

(End of this chapter)